 Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero have been
playing guitar together for more than fifteen years. From their hesitant first
steps as teenage thrash metallurgists in their native Mexico City, through the
innocents abroad street players of Dublin's Grafton Street at the turn of the
Millennium, to the universally acclaimed globe straddling tour machine of 2009;
theirs is a musical union where mutual understanding goes beyond intuitive and
into the realms of Zen. Rhythmic Yin to melodic Yang.
It has been three years since the release of their last studio album. Simply
called Rodrigo y Gabriela it was first released in Ireland in February 2006,
where it charted at # 1 in the national charts. This proved to be an auspicious
start for a record which has since gone on to sell 600,000 copies worldwide. A
slow burn, genuine word of mouth success story, the album proved to be Rod &
Gab's international calling card. As first the UK, then Australia, South Africa,
America, Europe and Japan succumbed to the unique charms of the record; the duo
found themselves constantly on the road for more than two and a half years in
support of the release.
Keeping a base in Ireland, the lure of warmer climes nearer home proved hard to
ignore; and in 2007, they decided to establish a Central American outpost in
Ixtapa on the Pacific Coast. The latter part of 2008 was spent building a
recording studio at their Mexican headquarters; and it was here that the new
album, entitled 11:11 ; was recorded. If Rodrigo y Gabriela was a successful
attempt at capturing the unbridled dynamic energy of their incendiary gigs
(mostly recorded 'live' in the studio, with very few overdubs); then the new
album sees them developing their core sound into something more sophisticated,
intricate and varied. At the heart of the sound is still the stunning interplay
between Rodrigo's dazzling lead work and Gabriela's unique rhythm play; but the
base soundscape is now subtly supplemented by percussion, occasional piano and a
fresh arsenal of stringed instruments from around the world, including oud and
sitar. And - whisper it quietly - the introduction here and there of electric
guitar.
Produced by Rodrigo y Gabriela (with co-production from John Leckie on the title
track), the album was mixed by Colin Richardson; famed in the rock world for his
console work on Slipknot and Trivium. Picked by Rod & Gab for the way he makes
guitars simultaneously sing and sting, it's his desk dexterity that make the
sound pictures on 11:11 dance before your eyes and ears.
At the heart of 11:11 lies Rod & Gab's wish to celebrate some of the great
musicians, both past and present, who have inspired them along the way. Each of
the eleven tracks is a musical 'gracias' to a delicious and diverse assortment
of talent. Some are transparent - the 'Voodoo Chile' quoting 'Buster Voodoo' is
a clear nod of appreciation to Hendrix - others are more discreet. Metal God
Alex Skolnick of Testament joins them on 'Atman', a thrilling Arabesque charge
in celebration of Dimebag Darrell, replete with a scorching total shred solo
from Skolnick.
Elsewhere, Rod & Gab are united with L.A. based acoustic fusion veterans Strunz
& Farah, to create a unique guitar quartet for the Paco De Lucia homage 'Master
Maqui'. Their influences are varied and multi-dimension, where else would you
hear a Mexican duo paying respect to an Israeli oud three piece shaped by the
guy who mixed Cradle Of Filth?
It is this willingness to explore musical expression, to embrace new sounds
irrespective of fashion or trends; and a point blank refusal to be pigeon¬holed
as any particular genre, which lies at the very foundation of Rodrigo y
Gabriela. 11:11 is a testament to this. It leaves us with the feeling that we
have only begun to see what these two are capable of.
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